Pakistan’s caretaker government Monday refused to try General (Retd) Parvez Musharraf for treason.

Islamabad, April 22/Nationalturk – In what could prove to be a major relief for embattled former military ruler, who is presently under detention, Pakistan’s caretaker government Monday refused to try General (Retd) Parvez Musharraf for treason.

The government in its reply submitted to Supreme Court explained its reasons for not having the mandate to decide measures on such an issue.

“We cannot initiate proceedings against him (Musharraf) under Article 6 of the Constitution as we don’t have mandate to do so. Our mandate states that our first and foremost duty is to carry free and fair elections and provide security to the candidates,” the interim government said in its reply to court regarding Musharraf’s treason case.

A three-judge bench of Supreme Court headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja is hearing the treason case against the former military ruler Parvez Musharraf.

After government’s response, the hearing for the treason case was adjourned till tomorrow.

The caretaker government in Pakistan took office last month for holding elections on May 11. It will step down after the new, elected government takes office.

Musharraf, who returned to Pakistan last month after four years in self-imposed exile, has been detained at his farm house at Chak Shehzad , which has been converted in a sub-jail.

Lawyers have filed petitions before the Supreme Court accusing him of committing treason while in power. But according to Pakistan constitution, the government is the only one with authority to file treason charges against Musharraf.

Musharraf’s lawyers barred from meeting him

Musharraf’s advocate, Ahmed Raza Kasuri said his team of lawyers were today refused entrance into his farmhouse, which was declared a sub-jail, to meet him.

“If we don’t speak to our client then how will we fight the case? It is like going into a war without weapons,” he said while addressing media.

Kasuri also expressed apprehensions regarding Musharraf being tortured. “We demand his (Musharraf’s) thorough medical examination from the Combined Military Hospital (CMH),” he said.

Musharraf is in detention in judge detention case . An FIR was registered against him in August 11, 2009 on the complaint of Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam Ghumman advocate. He is also accused of involvement in a conspiracy to murder Benazir Bhutto in 2007. He is also accused of involvement in killing of Baloch nationalist leader Akbar Khan Bugti in 2006.

Musharraf returned to Pakistan last month after nearly four years of self-imposed exile to contest the May 11 general election.

However, Pakistan’s Election Commission has barred him from contesting the elections, much to the disappointment of Musharraf and his supporters.